President Donald Trump stated this Thursday, from the Oval Office, that his administration's sanctions against Cuba are not intended to hasten the collapse of the regime, but to make the island "a well-managed country that can feed its people," according to statements reported by media at the White House.
The words came in direct response to a journalist who asked whether the sanctions were intended to hasten the collapse of the Cuban government. Trump was blunt: "Look, it’s a failed nation." He then linked the island's crisis to the loss of Venezuelan support: "Venezuela took care of them for years, and they took care of Venezuela; they were like their bodyguards."
In a second part of the exchange, Trump was more explicit about his plans. He compared the situation in Cuba to that of Iran and stated that once his administration "takes care of" the Islamic Republic, it will make "a short stop" to address Cuba: "We need to get rid of the regime."
The leader also promised Cuban Americans that they would be able to "return to their homeland" and invest in the island. "We are going to treat Cuba well, and we are going to let our people return and invest in Cuba if they wish. We have very good plans for Cuba," he stated.
Trump praised the Cuban exile community and stated that "95% of Cubans voted for me," a figure that greatly exceeds the actual data: the Cuba Poll 2024 from Florida International University placed Cuban-American support in Miami-Dade at around 68%. "They are amazing, energetic, entrepreneurial people. Some of the richest in Miami are Cubans," he added.
The statements come at a time of unprecedented maximum pressure. Since January 2026, the administration has imposed over 240 sanctions against the Cuban regime, and this Friday marks the deadline for foreign companies to sever ties with GAESA, the military conglomerate that controls a large portion of the island's economy, under the threat of secondary sanctions.
On May 1, Trump signed Executive Order 14404, the most aggressive instrument of that campaign, which authorized secondary sanctions against foreign entities doing business with the Cuban government. On May 20, the Department of Justice declassified a formal accusation against Raúl Castro and five former officials for the downing of the Brothers to the Rescue planes in 1996, which resulted in the deaths of four American citizens.
El telón de fondo humanitario que subyace a las palabras de Trump sobre «alimentar al pueblo» es devastador. Según la encuesta «En Cuba Hay Hambre 2025», el 33,9% de los hogares cubanos reportó que al menos un miembro se fue a dormir con hambre en los últimos 30 días, y el 96,91% de la población carece de acceso adecuado a alimentos. Cuba importa alrededor del 70% de los alimentos que consume, según el Programa Mundial de Alimentos.
The interruption of Venezuelan oil supply—following the capture of Nicolás Maduro in January 2026—has further exacerbated the island's energy and economic crisis, removing the regime's main external support.
Trump had already anticipated this direction in an interview with Politico in March 2026, when he stated that "Cuba is going to fall" and framed the policy towards the island as part of a broader regime change strategy in the western hemisphere.
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